Outsourcing of production and manufacturing for the Asian market: NTS creates added value. In the past two years, NTS assembly location in Shanghai has received Best Supplier Awards from three of its biggest clients. This demonstrates the powerful position that NTS Mechatronics in Shanghai and NTS Components Suzhou have in high-tech supply chains in the region. In order to continue expanding and provide even better service to our clients, NTS in Shanghai is continually investing in additional services and competencies. That is why Mechatronics in Asia recently added a Development & Engineering department. NTS is also introducing a new service to the Asian market: the complete take over of operational production of small- and medium-sized machine manufacturers in China.

Bas Kreukniet started working for NTS in China in 2005. At the time, the company only had five employees. The company’s main focus was on transferred work from the Netherlands. By 2018, he has become Managing Director and now leads a team of 180 people in total at the NTS Mechatronics assembly facilities in Shanghai and NTS Components precision sheet manufacturer in Suzhou. A considerable amount of work comes from local high-tech machine manufacturers and encompasses the entire production process, from prototyping to serial production.

Cost efficiency and supply guarantee“We received Best Supplier Awards from three of our top clients last year”, says Kreukniet. “A fourth client - KLA - gave us the highest possible score. That is the result of 13 years of hard work, and it really proves the exceptionally high level of our people, our competencies, our processes and our Chinese supply base. You can see all of that reflected in our quality, service, cost efficiency and supply guarantee.”

Development & engineeringKey modules and the focus on the technological core in China constantly pose new and complex challenges for NTS Mechatronics and Components. They have high standards for assembly and production processes, and they demand added value. Resting on our laurels is simply not an option. That is why NTS launched the new Development & Engineering department in Shanghai this year. This department provides support for the development processes of our clients, such as the Dutch solar machine manufacturer that transferred its production operations to China. Through engineering a motor module with Chinese components, NTS China is anticipating significant cost reductions without sacrificing quality.

Kreukniet: “Things are also moving forward at NTS Components in Suzhou. We are specialists in stainless steel, mirror-finish and seamless transitions. We also do complete mechanical frame assembly, and that pays dividends. We were able to transfer a complete machine for automated professional photography, including the table set up, lighting table and robot arms for our client StyleShoots, within five months.

Take overKreukniet describes one of NTS’s new services in China as “take over of operations”. Many small- to medium-sized European machine manufacturers are operating in China, and many of them face an uphill battle. The scale of operations often means very high costs. Kreukniet: “Our message to them is simple: We have the necessary facilities, engineers and supply chain. Use us. Let NTS take over the entire production process, including staffing. We will ensure the continued quality of your product, and you can focus on your products and the market.”